Okay, I’m applying to Northwestern University and University of Notre Dame. Is anyone willing to read my essay and tell me if there’s anything I should change/fix? Thank you! 
This is the prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
The band room was the first classroom I entered at Greenfield. It was a week after school let out, and I was a scared fourteen year old about to start high school. Freshmen Band Camp had begun, and we all crowded in the back of the room, against the wall and away from the teacher, Mr. Marlowe, and upperclassmen helpers. The ceilings were high, with gray squares hung around the room to improve acoustics. The massive windows on the right side of the room allowed bright sunlight to hit the chairs arranged in a semicircle at the front of the room. We slowly but surely wandered over to the chairs, and were greeted with friendly smiles and words of encouragement. Little did I know, the week of band camp was also the beginning of an incredible four years with the band program. Band has greatly shaped who I am and I’ve made so many long lasting friends from it.
Spending (and quietly grumbling about) eight hours on a football field in August truly brings people together. We all participate because we love band, and we love each other’s company. High school is a time for gaining and losing friends, but my friendships with those in band have only grown stronger. We share a passion for music, and want to become the best we can be. The shared passion and drive allow us to work together to create a quality performance whether it be marching, jazz, concert band or pit orchestra. The people I’ve worked with for the last four years will surely be lifelong friends, and I’m very close with all of them. The band room is a place of encouragement and support, where we come to get help from friends and our teacher, where we help each other become better musicians and better people in general.
The band room is where I first discovered a real passion for and interest in music. I look forward to band class every day, and am more and more excited to learn about music every day. Through participating in various extracurricular activities through the band program, I’ve been exposed to a wide range of music and techniques. The introduction to music theory we’ve had in class interests me. I know I want to continue with music throughout college and into my life, and that’s because of all the wonderful things I’ve learned about playing clarinet and music in general in the band room.
Music has taught me several things and made me an overall better person. When I was named color guard captain my junior year, I took on a large responsibility of making sure every member of the color guard knew the routine and was where they were supposed to be. We spent a lot of time writing and perfecting routines in the band room each marching season. Through this leadership role, I’ve learned a lot about being a good leader, and that the key to being one is finding a balance between friend and coach. Through our losses and no-so-great performances, I have learned how to lose graciously, and I take every experience as a way to learn and improve. My color guard coaches and band director have given me criticisms that will make me better at what I do, and I’ve learned to take every criticism and comment in stride. The band room and the people in it have made me a stronger person, and I’m more able to handle anything thrown at me because of it.
I’ve changed and grown so much in the band room, and I’ve enjoyed every moment I’ve spent there. The band room has made such an impact on me and it’s become a second home. I’m truly grateful for all the friends I’ve made and all the lessons I’ve learned in band.